1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus or the like shared by a plurality of users.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing apparatuses having copying and network printing functions have recently come to include additional functions, including those of a scanner, fax and document server, and are now called MFPs (Multi-Function Peripherals). The increasing number of different functions possessed by these printing apparatuses has led to their being shared by a number of users.
Incidentally, a user may want to use such a printing apparatus to print a document that includes confidential information that he does not want others to see.
However, if the terminal device operated by the user and the printing apparatus are located apart from each other, there is a risk that someone else may see the printed matter during the period between the user's issuance of the print command and the user's arrival at the printing apparatus installation location to retrieve the printed matter. There is also a risk that somebody else might remove the printed matter by mistake.
Accordingly, it is possible to apply the network scanner control method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2001-148753 to a printing apparatus. The network scanner disclosed in this patent document includes a function to receive over network reservations that include additional information, as well as an IC card reader that is used to authenticate reservation registrants. When a registrant is authenticated, the scanner changes the operations of the read processing in accordance with the additional information included in the reservation. In other words, the network scanner changes the reservation-related processing when the person who arrives at the place of installation has been authenticated as the registrant of the pertinent reservation.
If this control method is applied to print processing performed by a printing apparatus, print processing of a print command can be executed only after the user who issued such print command has arrived at the printing apparatus.
However, when it comes to such a printing apparatus as an MFP, a user may issue a print command using the operation panel on the printing apparatus or over a network via a terminal device. Alternatively, a user can adjust the date and time of execution of print processing using a timer function. In other words, because print processing can be executed sequentially based on print commands issued by a plurality of users, even if a control method such as the one disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2001-148753 is applied in a printing apparatus such as an MFP, it is still possible for someone else to see the printed matter or remove the printed matter by mistake.